I don't want to go in for nothing (to my regular dr or someone else?), but I don't know how to tell if it's broken or just hurt. It's the pinky toe, swollen on top and hurts to the touch as well as bending it- which I can do. They won't do anything even if it is broken, right? Ahhhh, stupidity.
Thanks for the quick responses. I'm trying to stay off it, but running around with two young kids isn't a recipe for rest, as you all know! It hurts like crazy, but luckily I can walk ok. I just feel really dumb- what a stupid thing to do!
No point going to the doc, they MIGHT tape it and give you a boot, but really toes are nothing to freak out about. I have broken ALL of them. Chances are if it is bruised, swollen and tender that it is broken - get some medical tape and tape it to the next toe over ('ring toe'?), keep it elevated and cold to get the swelling down and stay off of it as much as possible.
They don't do anything for a broken toe so it's not worth going to the doctor or ER anyway. It's broken if it's swollen and black & blue - probably. An xray is the only way to tell for sure - but again - why bother? They may tape the broken toe to the two toes around it as a splint. If you're thinking of doing that remember not to tape it too tight (feet swell as the day goes by). I broke a bone in my foot a few years ago and I felt it snap. But there's nothing they could do with that either. Elevate your foot if you can. It will feel a 1,000% better in a day or two.
If you can bend it, it's probably severely bruised and the pain will diminish within a day or two.
If you bruise under the nail (forms a blood blister), you might lose the nail, but it'll grow back in a month or two.
If it's broken, bending it (walking on it) is going to hurt - a lot - wearing shoes with flexible soles or pinched toes is going to be agony - and the pain is going to last longer than a few days (it takes 8 weeks for most adults to heal broken bones) and even after it heals you'll most likely be able to tell when the weather is going to change for the rest of your life.
Keep it up, ice it on and off to keep the swelling down.
I'd wait a day or so before taping it to see if it gets better shortly.
If it still hurts a lot after 24 hrs, tape it up and prepare for a longer healing time.
All the will do is "buddy tape" it. You can do that yourself.
I recently did this....about 2 months ago. It's still tender. It initially was swollen and bruised.
No, nothing they can do anyway. I broke mine as a teenager and it was sore, purple and swollen for a few weeks.
Doesn't matter if it's broken or not - same treatment.
Tape it to the toe next to it.
We also fell into the trap that there is nothing to do for a broken toe. So my husband is still in a lot of pain two years later.
A doctor may not do anything, but a chiropractor can help.
I agree with tape it and ice it. That's all you can do. I think most of us have spazzed our baby toes clippin em on table legs and stuff more than once. Hurts like Hell too, I hate when that happens.
Just make sure when you tape it to the other toe that there is a layer of tape between the 2 toes. Sounds like my broken toe, mine also bruised all over the top of my foot.
I injured a toe (don't know if it was broken or not), nothing I could do, and had pain for YEARS afterward. I would get into see an orthopedist so that if it is broken, they could at least give you the best course of action for healing (based on x-ray) to prevent pain when it sets incorrectly.
One way to tll if you broke it or not s to put ice on it. If you want to jump through thr roof....you broke it. Like all the others said just tape your toes together. Good luck. I know how you feel except mine was my big toe.
